TIPS FOR BUYING A USED VEHICLE

When you’re in the market for a vehicle, you can save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars when purchasing pre-owned. Check out these tips to help you in the buying process!

RESEARCH

The first thing you want to do is research the vehicle you are interested in and track down where it’s located. Once you’ve gotten to this point, look up its value with Kelley Blue Book, NADA and Black Book. This will give you a ball park estimate on how much you should spend.

VISUAL INSPECTION

Once you have found the vehicle you want, be sure you do a visual inspection because you don’t want to purchase a car that turns out to be a lemon. Check the engine compartment, under the car and the tire tread. Only a few used car dealers in Los Angeles will provide you with a check list of things they inspected, so do a double check!

TEST DRIVE

Buying a vehicle is a major investment and you want that investment to be enjoyable so take the vehicle out for a long test drive to get a feel for the car. Plus test drives are a fast way to detect any problems! Bonus Tip: Consider leaving after the test drive and come back the next day to drive it again. This will give you more time to fully inspect the car and make an educated investment.

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY

Be sure you ask if the vehicle you are buying has a manufacturer’s warranty. This will protect you from major expenses if something fails on the vehicle like if the air conditioning stops working or if the transmission shifts bad.

PROTECTION PLAN

Depending on the age of the vehicle, you may want to consider an extended warranty because it will keep money in your wallet in the long run. If you can afford it, it’s not a bad idea to invest in it.

NEGOTIATIONS

In order to score the best deal on your vehicle, be assertive and confident because you’ve done your homework and found the value of the car. Use this information to your advantage so you can make out the best deal possible.

BUY BACK GUARANTEE

Sometimes you’ll find car dealers that offer buy back guarantee. They usually will allow you to bring the car back within 3 days if you aren’t satisfied with it, so check around if you want that option.

ENJOY!

Once you have the keys in your hands, take care of your ride and make sure you perform regular maintenance to keep it running!